Dungeon 4 Turn 6
————
With a grimace, Lara swims back to rejoin Kamau in his fight. She trades her longsword for his defensive items and some of the thieves’ tools he carries, then they each slay one of the plague rats. They drop two rat tails, which Lara picks up, and the chest is now free to be opened.
Ricki, having used her Grit ability and crawled through the tunnel next to the red chest, finds herself in what appears to be the final room of the dungeon.
Oh dear. Good we didn’t try swimming to the left. Just like I pessimistically worried, person entering this room for the first time by swimming, wouldn’t be able to get back to air. Phew. Good job Ricky. Now we know the whole map.
Kamau: Open the chest and loot anything inside. Head back. Engage the beavers and interpose
Lara: Swim back. Push the chest so it hits the switch. Get out before the gate closes.
If that doesn’t work, Lara can handle two beavers on her own.
Ricki: Head back through the hole, take the shield ,a lockpick and the dagger from Lara if she’s not fighting. If she is, wait for Kamau to interpose and engage.
Reasoning: We want Lara safely blasting the rat king pack ASAP.
Kamau: loot the chest.
Lara: sweem back, drop the red chest onto the switch next to the beavers.
Ricki: crawl back, take the shield from Lara and crawl through the hole once more.
Thet rat piles only do 5 damage, so Ricki can take the shield, crawl throug the hole once more, kill the small rat, use the switch and open the chest. It will cost only 1 HP.
Ricki cannot open the chest. It is locked. Ricki does not have any thieves tools. (On the other hand, if she would take a set from Lara…)
Observations:
(1) lowest floor is IMHO lost. Beavers + barricade + totally flooded + not being able to go back to air after attacking. Do we want to see how drowning works? Probably not.
(2) that lever is placed high. Ricky probably has to stand on the chest to access it. This means the chest has to be flipped upside down if we open it
(3) by the drawing, the sword seems to be the Rusty Longsword that we already know well.
(4) the topmost level is actually accessible for Lara and Kamau, and before RIcky lowers the grate, Lara can probably soften up the enemies by shooting. They seem big enough to not be able to move through the grate, but we may have not enough time to just kill them all from afar.
(5) still, to get to this topmost level, we have to lower the grate in the previous room, and with the simplest approach, that would means 2 Beavers and diving to the lever, and than waiting for the water to rise up so we can climb out of the water. However – please see this plan. Would it work if we carefully drop the chest and quickly run to right, before the grate closes? I hope so!!
That’s exactly what I suggest as soon as Lara and Kamau get back from their current point. It should be really easy for any of them as they are “tall, big guys”. But it’s critical to run back right before the chest falls and the grate slides down, or else person will be trapped and have to face the beavers alone (and all endeavour will cost us precious time).
(6) After solving previous grate, we almost immediately can access three unlocked chests behind a barricade, and a really immediate access to one locked chest (Ricky needed). But when Ricky is in this place here, when she flips the lever, she’ll be blocked until the rest of the team solves the topmost level. Unless there’s a way like (5) to flip the lever here from afar. If we had a rope, then we could try attaching and pulling from afar, but right now, but I don’t see any smart way to do that.
(7) If we don’t have a way to flip the lever “remotely” and keep Ricky outside the grate that will slide down, then once the team clears the on the top of this room, they have to push that chest out, to the area near the ladder. The chest behind the rat-with-crown is locked, so we need Ricky to open it, and Ricky will be blocked until she flips the lever back. All hail the sokoban!
Lets say we can trigger a lever remotely (like dropping a chest) and all 3 characters are in the middle zone. Let’s also assume that each time any lever is flipped, all 3 grates are moved up/down from their position.
If the above 3 conditions are all true, then all 3 characters will be trapped without access to a lever.
Now since there are 3 levers and 3 grates on 3 different rooms, There’s a good chance each lever only works with a specific grate (most likely the one on the same screen). That said, I don’t want to bet the future of the comic on this…
Nice catch. We actually don’t know what happens to the other grates when a lever is switched. So, to be totally on the safe-side when dropping the chest, Ricky would need to be near the switch in the room where she is now.
But, if indeed every lever switched every grate at the same time.. then we just need Ricky to get to the very first room and flip the lever. Yes, she’s then temporarily stuck there, but we have access both to three-chests in the first room, and to rat-king in this last room here. Most of things accessible at the same time. So just wait for Lara and Kamau kill the enemies and push/drag/lift the locked chests to a more-accessible place so Ricky can unlock them once she’s back. Disregarding ATK/DEF/HP of enemies, which they would have to kill without Ricky’s help, which I can’t calculate at this moment, it sounds too easy (TM) to be true. I strongly feel that it’s one lever to one grate in the same room, but have no proofs ofc.
“Just wait” is the tough part. The fastest we can possibly get Ricki alive to the room 1 lever is on turn 9 (ending turn 7 past the rats in room 2, ending turn 8 past the rat king in room 1, turn 9 flipping lever), so she’d start turn 10 underwater in an enclosed space.
If every lever moves every grate, then it’s the room 2 lever that works out for us. One person (Kamau) would be stuck swimming, but we could pick off rats more or less safely and Ricki could directly unlock the locked chest.
We’d still have an out, Ricki would have access to the room 3 lever through the rat tunnel.
EDIT: Right, right, that lever would be behind the grate.
nitpick: (3) is actually a rusty greatsword, not a rusty longsword. Just FYI. 🙂
Kamau: Grab what’s in the chest and go back to Ricki
Lara: Go left and push the red chest down the shaft, trying to flip the lever
Ricki: Go back through the hole, then swap the longsword for the Rat Fang, the shield, the rat tails, and one set of lockpicks
I don’t know if the chest will flip the lever because it’s partially flooded now, the water might absorb the impact. But if it might not work now, it definitely won’t work on turn 10, so might as well try.
Next turn I think we should go for the duo beaver chest, because that will be flooded soon, and that should be easy to clear with all three people here.
Afterwards, depending on how many treasures were in two chests, we can either go for the treasure room or have Ricki go back through the hole and get that locked chest + lever (which gives us access to the rusty greatsword and the other locked chest).
None of the other chests is floating, therefore it is a valid assumption that the chest will sink. If it sinks, it will switch the lever, if it hits the lever. No impact should be needed. And testing this is just 1 action. Let’s go for it! (A sinking chest instead of a falling chest is even better, because sinking is slower than falling and therefore there is more time for Lara to jump back.)
The other chests aren’t empty – it very well MIGHT float.
Wouldn’t Ricki have an action left? Could we do something with that?
Plan to Optimize for Getting Rat King:
Kamau: open chest, and get stuff. If you can, leave after.
Lara: go back to Rat Hole where Ricki will pop out, give Ricki shield and Rat Dagger. After/during, Lara shoot at Beaver with ranged attack.
Ricki: go back through rat hole, pick up rat dagger. IF we have extra action, throw rat dagger at individual rat in the rat hole room.
Warning: it was mentioned on the dungeon 2 stream that the King Rat gives other rats in the room +1 attack.
Good to know. Thanks for reminding!
Yeah that’s the only reason I’m considering venomous barrage to alpha strike the rat king of we go that route. Still not happy about burning corruption for a bonus dungeon though.
Kamau: Loot chest, take contents, swim back to main room, approach chest guarded by pancake rats.
Lara: Swim back to main room, swap dagger and rat tails for Ricki’s longsword, attack pancake rat off chest with longsword.
Ricki: Go back through tunnel, attack pancake rat on chest with Rat Fang, use rat tail to supercharge the attack.
Everyone: Regroup at red chest.
5 damage definitely kills a beaver, hopefully we’ll get a hint about Rat Fang slaying them or not. Little worried about them damaging our equipment.
If we’re not making weird plans to get to the difficult places in the third room (and this is the plan without the chest drop), we have turns to spare. Rat tails are valuable.
Alternate:
Kamau: Loot chest, take contents, swim back to main room, approach chest guarded by pancake rats.
Lara: Swim back to main room, swap Rat Fang for Ricki’s longsword, attack pancake rat on chest with longsword.
Ricki: Go back through tunnel, attack surviving pancake rat with Rat Fang.
Everyone: Regroup at red chest.
Lara: Give Kamau his defenses back, loot chest and swim back.
Kamau: Take shield and armor, swim back, interpose by beaver chest.
Ricki: Back through rat hole, attack the beaver on top of the chest.
If we’re not doing fancy stuff, we have time. This will take another turn to kill the beavers, but we don’t care.
Turn 8: Ricki attack top beaver again. Lara attack bottom beaver. Kamau interpose.
Turn 9: Lara loot chest, Kamau go drop into water by beavesr and hit lever, Ricki take thieves tools, head left past now open grate, loot locked chest.
Turn 10: Ricki leave to center room, ditch loot. Lara … Kamau hit lever after Ricki and climb back up to land.
Turn 11: Ricki go through rathole with shield and tools and kill small rat. (take 1 damage) K+L: Too much time on their hands.
Turn 12: Ricki loot or beat on rat pile. K+L…
Yeah. Point is, if we’re not trying for any of the harder spots, we have too much time.
Which makes me think we’ll have to get on of the tougher spots to complete the dungeon and level
Observation: a bunch of enemies, including the rat king, are behind barres doors. I just went back and read about ranged attacks. They are only blocked by solid walls. It should be possible for Lara to shoot through with venomous sting.
Aye, although if any have Def 2 or more we cannot hurt them without spending Corruption.
This would be mean taking 3 turns to kill a dire rat or 1 turn to kill a regular rat.
Can Lara ranged abilities pass closed gates? there are gaps.
Asking for the Rat King and his friends.
Also, yay a sword for Kamau!
Alright, let’s consider options for remaining loot areas. Turn 7 is getting everyone back together in the middle, so likely best to grab the room 2 level 3 beaver chest.
Room 3 level 3 beavers behind dam: Turn 8 probably-Kamau dives for the lever and is bitten by beavers while Lara and Ricki move left and chop at the barricade; with the rusty greatsword they can apply 1+2+2+3 = 8 damage, or with a rat tail 1+2+3+1+3 = 10 damage; the other dam survived a 5-damage hit then was dropped by 8 damage, might have defense involved.
Turn 9, with barricade down Lara can hopefully kill one beaver with the sword while Ricki uses Rat Fang to get the other, clearing the space. Kamau finds out the penalties for fighting underwater. We make sure to end turn with the girls high and dry.
Turn 10 we hope we can open chests underwater. If not, we are sad. If so, we have three chests to loot without enemies in the way. Kamau can get out of the water.
I like this more than I expected I would. What we find out about beaver stats this turn will definitely help decisions. This is risky as the room 2 beaver chest would also be left underwater and we might not be able to grab any of these four.
Obviously-trapped chest: Ricki could Dash in turn 7 to the air pocket, grabbing the shield.
Turn 8, Ricki tries to open an underwater chest and either finds drowned rats or is hit by a bunch of rats while taking underwater penalties (but maybe the rats also take penalties). Lara and Kamau probably finish off the beaver chest.
Turn 9, Ricki tries to grab treasure and leave. If a Dash isn’t available, she starts turn 10 underwater. Kamau likely dives for the lever so Lara can grab the rusty greatsword just in case it crumbles completely underwater.
We’d need to go for this now and it looks generally inefficient. I think the window has closed here.
Room 1 behind grate: Turn 7 have Ricki grab the shield and end past rats, might as well kill a small one on the way.
Turn 8 Ricki swings at the Rat King while getting into position safely past it, Lara snipes a small rat, Kamau loots beaver chest.
Turn 9 Ricki goes down and pulls the lever, 8 damage of rats is between Lara/Kamau and treasure. Kamau can tank and open a chest while Lara finishes off beaver chest or snipes a swimming beaver.
Turn 10 Ricki starts turn underwater in a confined space, pulls the lever and swims back to air while being bitten by rats and taking underwater fighting penalties (but maybe the rats do too). Before being shut out, Kamau opens another chest or grabs guarded treasure and triggers Dauntless to get out alive; he has 7HP now and would take 4 damage each turn.
Only one chest here.
King Rat: Single locked chest that Ricki cannot directly access, so we probably need to drag it out and I don’t expect we can do that with enemies in the way. It would be possible to kill these enemies in our time limit without dying, but it’d take a lot of Corruption.
A single Venomous Barrage probably isn’t enough to take down the King Rat.
To get the locked chest in Ricki’s current room: Start with Ricki bringing armour, shield, longsword, rat fang, and rat tail. Entry turn, throw longsword at small rat, assuming rat king can’t move. Next, use rat fang with rat tail to wipe out the rat king, taking 1 damage under the assumption the king rat boosts the rat king. One miss turn, unless Ricki leaves the longsword in this room ahead of time so she can bring in thieves tools (but she’ll still need to bring lots of items out). Fourth turn, re-enter and unlock chest. Fifth turn, leave with loot, possibly swimming. This might not work out if we only start on the turn level 3 floods.